Best Upright Vacuum

UPDATED NOV 2022 - We’ve been updating our list of Best Upright Vacuums every year since 2008 and the latest list for 2022 has just been released. The list is dominated this year by Shark machines.

Our choice for the Best Upright Vacuum (so far) in 2022 is the Shark Vertex, a powerful machine that does everything well. The new and extremely powerful Dyson Ball Animal 3 has taken the second spot. Last year our top pick was the Shark NV752 which has dropped to #3 this year - but it continues to be a strong consumer favorite.  #4 in our list is the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away ZU632, a machine that is very similar to the NV752 but comes with a specialized cleaner head for pet hair.  Slipping to #5 is the Dyson Ball Animal 2 which is a beast of a vacuum and subsequently one of our best vacuums for pet hair. 

Following is our table of the top uprights on the market today.  Prices for these vacuums range from about $130 to $500.

Best Upright Vacuum Cleaners 2022

ALL of these vacuums are good but we would urge you to read the reviews carefully before making a purchase because some may excel in one area and not another.  Consider your cleaning needs carefully and make an informed decision based on the vacuum features, specifications, price, warranty, etc.  

#1) Shark Vertex

Why is the Shark Vertex our top choice?

Highly Rated by Owners: This vacuum has received a score of 95/100 which places it at the top of the upright vacuums on our website. The score is created from actual owner ratings.

Great on Carpet: The Vertex performed very well in our carpet test. Debris pickup was excellent.

Great on Hard Floors: The Vertex pickup on our tile floor was very good. This is something we don’t always see with an upright.

DuoClean Technology: This uses 2 brushrolls in the cleaner head and it undoubtedly helps with pickup. In addition, the soft brushroll at the front of the cleaner head helps with large debris pickup and it even helps with stuck-on dust (on hard floors). The second brushroll has special powerfins.

Quality Air Filtration: Air filtration is provided by 2 pre-motor filters and 1 post-motor filter. The post-motor filter is a HEPA filter and Shark states that the vacuum also has a sealed system (which ensures no unfiltered air leaks out of the vacuum).

Good Edge Cleaning: In our edge cleaning test the Vertex cleaned up tight against our baseboards.

Good on Hair: Folks with pets will appreciate the ability of the Vertex to pick up hair and to keep it off the brushrolls. The Vertex setup is the most effective we have seen to date at dealing with hair.

Respectable Cleaning Reach: The unit comes with a 30 ft power cord. This is the minimum we like to see. Quite a few uprights these days are coming with cords less than 30 ft long.

Headlights: The vacuum has a headlight on the front of the cleaner head. This is a useful feature when cleaning in dimly lit areas.

Powered Lift Away: A hugely popular feature and for good reason. This provides handheld-like capabilities and it also allows the unit to get under very low furniture.

Powerful Suction: Shark states that this is their most powerful machine. We have not tested this statement but the Vertex certainly feels powerful.

Easy Maintenance: Washable filters, a bagless design, and easy access to everything makes maintaining the Vertex a snap.

This is a great overall vacuum. It’s good at almost everything and it is our #1 pet hair vacuum as well. It is perhaps a little on the heavy side so it could be overkill for smaller homes.

Check out pricing and reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Shark Vertex review...

Get a DISCOUNT on the Vertex Upright at Shark.com Use coupon code ADVISOR15 for a 15% discount

#2) Dyson Ball Animal 3

Our second choice for the Best Upright Vacuum is the Dyson Ball Animal 3. This vacuum has tons of power and, unlike its predecessor (the Dyson Ball Animal 2), it sports Anti-Tangle Technology in the cleaner head. However it is heavier and slightly more difficult to move around than the Vertex and that is why it sits at number 2. But it has many things going for it.

Very Powerful Suction – it has 290 Air Watts of suction which is the higher figure we’ve run across and it shows.

Good Pickup on Carpet & Hard Floors – Our tests showed that the Dyson Ball Animal 3 has very good pickup on both carpet and hard flooring.

Quality Air Filtration – It has a HEPA filter combined with a sealed system. This combination is necessary for high quality air filtration.

35 ft Power Cord – This is a very long power cord and it is much appreciated when you are vacuuming. Most uprights top out at about 30 ft.

13+ ft Hose – Cleaning reach is extended even further with a hose that is over 13 ft long. This makes doing stair easier and is also useful for overhead cleaning, etc.

Brushroll on/off Controls – Some owners may not want the brushroll spinning on delicate hard flooring. It can be turned off.

Anti-tangle Technology – This is the first time we have seen this on a full size Dyson upright. We’ve tested it and works very well. A useful feature for those with lots of hair to deal with.

Good Edge Cleaning – The vacuum will clean up right against an edge.

Large Dust Canister – This is handy as you don’t want to have to stop vacuuming and empty the dust canister too frequently.

Lots of Tools with Certain Models – There are several different models available and some models (like the "Complete") come with a host of tools.

However, as with all vacuums there are some things to watch out for. The unit is heavy at 17.3 lbs and it is also a bit of a chore to move around, especially on carpet. If you get a Dyson Ball Animal 3 prepare to use some muscle.

Also, while the hose extends to over 13 ft, this is a stretch hose and it doesn’t want to fully extend. You have to pull it out and it constantly fights you.

The cleaner head on the Ball Animal 3 is narrower than the cleaner head on the Ball Animal 2. As such, more passes are required to clean large, open areas.

Finally, the cleaner head is a little low along the front and will push some larger debris along in front of it on carpet.

Check out pricing and reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Dyson Ball Animal 3 review...

#3) Shark Rotator NV752 TruePet

Why is the NV752 so good?

Consumers Love It: Consistently rated over 90% by most owners and elicits comments such as “highly recommended” & “one of the best vacuums on the market”.

Multiple Cleaning Modes: Operates as an upright vacuum, a canister vacuum, and a handheld.

Includes Many Tools: Provided are a dusting brush, dusting genie, pet upholstery tool, hard floor genie, TruePet motorized brush, and an accessories bag.

No Consumables: This vacuum is bagless, has washable filters and also a belt that lasts the lifetime of the vacuum.

Sealed System & HEPA Filtration: HEPA level filtration and a sealed system are very helpful for those suffering from asthma or allergies.

Powerful Suction: Consumers agree that this machine has exceptional suction.

Cleans Bare Floors & Carpet: Three settings provide the ability to clean bare floor, low pile carpet and high pile carpet.

Effective on Pet Hair: Includes a TruePet Motorized Brush and a Pet Upholstery Tool. Performs very well on pet hair when cleaning both hard surfaces and carpet.

Power Cord Length: The power cord is a full 30 feet in length.

Headlights: LED headlights in the nozzle as well as on the vacuum handle.  Lights last the lifetime of the vacuum.

Warranty: The NV752 carries a very lengthy 7-year warranty.

Price: If you dig aroound this machine can generally be found online for under $300.

The NV752 is a bagless upright with a motor driven brushbar for deep cleaning of carpets.  It is of average weight (16.7 lbs or about 15.6 lbs without the power cord) and despite its powerful suction is not too loud.  The suction can also be reduced via suction vents on the side of the vacuum handle.  It is fairly maneuverable due to the swivel steering and the low profile nozzle helps it get under low furniture.

Check out pricing & reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Shark Rotator NV752 review... 

#4) Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away ZU632

This vacuum is a great choice for homes with pets and it is also very similar to the Shark NV752 (our #3 vacuum in this list).

Zero-M Technology. This technology utilizes a special brushroll and comb in the cleaner head. These work together to remove hair from the brushroll as you vacuum. We have tested the technology and it works. Hair pickup is good and it moves the bulk of the hair from the brushroll to the dust canister for easy disposal. Units without this technology tend to get extensive hair wrapping around the brushroll which has to be removed manually.

Highly Rated by Owners. The average owner rating that we found for this vacuum was 4.65 stars out of 5, which is very high.

Low Maintenance Costs. This vacuum is bagless so there are no bags to buy. Also, all of the filters can be rinsed in water when they are dirty and reused. We found the maintenance to be easy and it is nice not to have to buy consumables.

Quality Air Filtration. The ZU632, like the NV752, has a HEPA-level filter as well as a sealed system. The sealed system ensures that all the air entering the vacuum gets passed through the filters before being exhausted from the machine. No unfiltered air escapes.

Powered Lift-Away. The lift-away feature on Shark vacuums is very popular. It allows you to carry the dustbin/motor assembly with one hand while using the hose/handle/tools with the other hand. It essentially provides something close to handheld vacuum capabilities - something not common with an upright. The ZU632 lift-away is also “powered” which means you can use it with powered/motorized tools.

Good Pickup on Carpet. Pickup on carpet is good – perhaps not as good as the NV752 but still quite respectable.

Better-than-expected Pickup on Hard Floors. Pickup tests on our tile flooring showed that this vacuum provides very good pickup on hard flooring.

Decent Maneuverability. This is not a lightweight vacuum and while that may be an issue for some, the maneuverability (turning, steering, forward and backwards motion) is good.

Headlights. There are headlights on either side of the cleaner head and these are handy, especially when vacuuming in dimly lit areas.

This is a really good vacuum if you need a full size upright and you have a home with shedding pets. If you have to deal with lots of hair this is likely a better choice than the NV752 but it falls a little short of the NV752 is a few other areas. Check out our Shark ZU632 vs Shark NV752 article for more details.

Check out pricing and reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Shark ZU632 review...

#5) Dyson Ball Animal 2

This is a very powerful vacuum cleaner and it is also one of our top picks for the best pet hair vacuum.  This is an excellent machine for households with pets and for owners with allergies.

Powerful Vacuum: According to Dyson this unit puts out 270 Air Watts of suction which is more than most of their vacuums (although we've seen the figure 227 Air Watts more recently).  Either way the vacuum is still powerful.

Top Notch Ratings: Owners are giving this machine high ratings and we have given this unit a score of 94/100

Long Cleaning Reach: Has a 30 foot power cord and a very long cleaning reach (inlcuding the hose, wand and power cord)

Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly: Has whole machine HEPA filtration and is certified by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. 

Respectable Warranty: Has a 5-year parts and labor warranty.

Motorized Brushroll: Cleaner head has a very powerful motorized brushroll for deep cleaning carpet. The cleaner head is so powerful we can often see nearby debris on carpet vibrating.

Designed for Carpet & Bare Floors: Tests show good cleaning ability on both carpet and bare floors.

Tools: Includes a host of tools some of which are specially designed for the removal of pet hair.

Tools "Click" Into Place: Tools are not friction fit but rather click into place and will not fall off. A press of the button releases them.

Large Dust Canister: The dust canister has a capacity of 0.55 gallons and is very easy to empty.

This is a bagless upright vacuum with Ball Technology which makes it easy to move and turn.  The filters are also rinsable which helps reduce consumables and costs.  Ours came with the tangle-free turbine tool which is rather innovative and really does pull up hair/string/thread/etc without any tangling.  The vacuum is a bit on the heavy side however and it is not easy to push on deep pile carpet. 

Check out pricing & reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Dyson Ball Animal 2 review...

#6 Shark APEX Zero-M

The APEX Zero-M (AZ1002) is a very similar machine to the older APEX AX952 but the AZ1002 has a cleaner head that is designed to deal with hair (this is called Zero-M Technology). The AZ1002 is therefore more adept in homes with shedding pets than its predecessor the APEX AX952.

A Premier Shark Upright. The Shark APEX Zero-M is one of Shark’s top-of-the-line machines and it comes with a host of features.

DuoClean Technology. This technology uses 2 brushrolls. I traditional bristled brushroll and a soft roller brushroll at the front of the cleaner head. This approach provides for very good overall pickup, better pickup of large debris, and better pickup of dust (and stuck-on particles) on hard flooring.

Zero-M Technology. Zero-M Technology ensures limited hair wrap on the brushroll. The hair is removed from the special brushroll (by a comb-like device in the cleaner head) while you vacuum and sent to the dust canister for disposal.

Quality Air Filtration. The vacuum has a HEPA level filter as well as sealed body construction which ensures no unfiltered air escapes.

Easy Maintenance. The AZ1002 is bagless so there are no bags to remove or buy, and all of the filters can be rinsed in water when they are dirty and re-used.

Designed for Carpet and Hard Floors. A slider on the vacuum handle allows you to easily switch between hard floor, low pile carpet, and thick carpet settings.

Long Power Cord. There is nothing worse than an upright with a very short power cord. Fortunately the AZ1002 has a 30 ft power cord which provides plenty of cleaning reach.

Headlights. This APEX machine has lights on either side of the cleaner head. These turn on when the vacuum is on and they are designed to last the lifetime of the vacuum. They are handy in dimly lit areas.

Powered Lift Away. The vacuum comes with the popular lift-away feature. Also, this unit has something referred to as “powered” lift away which allow the use of powered/motorized tools.

Check out pricing and reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Shark APEX Zero-M review...

#7 Shark Navigator Zero-M Lift-Away Speed

The Lift-Away Speed is a lightweight upright and it doesn't come with a lot of bells and whistles.  But the low price reflects this and it is a good choice for those who don't like a heavier machine and want good hair cleaning capabilities 

Lightweight Upright Vacuum. The Lift-Away Speed weighs 13.4 lbs and you can feel this while vacuuming. It is very nimble and it turns and moves well.

Simple, Basic Machine. It is a simple, straightforward vacuum that is easy to use. It has a few features but not too many. But what it does, it does well.

Good Air Filtration. It has a HEPA filter and sealed construction which ensures all of the air entering the vacuum gets passed through the filters before being exhausted. No unfiltered air leaves the vacuum.

Lift-Away Feature. It comes with Shark’s popular lift-away features which allows you to get into areas an upright cannot go. The lift-away feature on the ZU561 is non-powered (cannot use power tools with it).

Zero-M Technology. This is another Shark vacuum with Zero-M Technology. This technology is designed to limit hair wrap on the brushroll and help move the bulk of the hair to the dust canister for disposal. A handy technology for households with pets.

Easy Maintenance. This is a bagless vacuum so there are no bags to buy, and all of the filters can be rinsed in water and re-used.

3 Tools Included. The vacuum comes with a duster crevice tool, a wide upholstery tool, and a hair removal multi-tool.

Suction Release Collar. This feature is essentially an opening in the vacuum handle that you can manually slide open or closed. Opening it allows you to bleed of vacuum suction which you might want to do if you are using the hose/handle/tools and working on something delicate like drapery. It can also be useful to reduce suction on some carpeted surfaces where the vacuum may have difficulty moving on full suction.

Designed for Carpet and Hard Floors. A switch on the vacuum allows you to choose the appropriate setting for the floor surface you are cleaning (carpet or hard floors).

Check out pricing & reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Shark Navigator ZU561 review...

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#8) Oreck 2100RHS

The Oreck 2100RHS is a very reasonably priced, no nonsense, bagged vacuum.  It is dubbed a commercial vacuum but many people love it for residential use.

It is important to point out that this is a no-frills machine.  It does not include attachments or tools nor does it come with much in the way of features.  When you buy this machine you get the vacuum, a manual, your warranty card and a vacuum bag.  That's it. 

Consumer ratings are excellent however and the vacuum is extremely lightweight (8.2 lbs), easy to maneuver, and it comes with a very long industrial power cord (35 feet).  It also has powerful suction. 

Note: Before buying a no-frills Oreck machine make sure that "no-frills" is what you want.  If you want tools, hose, attachments, features, etc. it may not be the right choice.

Check out pricing & reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Oreck 2100RHS review...

Click to read full review

#9) Shark Navigator Deluxe NV360

Click to read full review

#10) Oreck U2000R-1

It is important to understand just what you are getting if you purchase this upright vacuum.  It is very much a no-frills machine and it doesn’t have a hose or any attachments, but it cleans large areas of carpet and bare floors very well.  The U2000R-1 is a commercial vacuum but it is also quite popular with home owners who use it for residential cleaning.

The vacuum may have no tools or attachments but it has powerful suction and is lightweight at under 10 lbs.  It also sports a very lengthy 40 foot power cord.  The Oreck U2000R-1 is good bang for your buck and it is fairly affordable.  It is a little on the loud side however.

Check out pricing & reviews on Amazon.
Read the full Oreck U20000R-1 review...

#11) Hoover MAXLife Pro Pet

The MAXLife is great for homes with shedding pets. The vacuum is designed for pet owners and hair pickup is very good. It also includes several tools (included a specialized pet upholstery tool) which aid in pickup.

It has a large dust canister which allows you to keep vacuuming for long periods without the need to empty it. There are also brushroll ON/OFF Controls. It can be handy to turn your brushroll OFF if you are cleaning certain smooth surfaces. This ability is provided with the MAXLife.

The MAXLife comes with a 30 ft power cord. We’ve always advocated for a minimum power cord length of 30 ft (with an upright vacuum). We’ve noticed that anything less can cause dissatisfaction with owners as they find themselves frequently searching for power outlets.

As a pet vacuum its nice to have good air filtration and the MAZLife has a HEPA-level filter and a sealed system to ensure no unfiltered air escapes.

A simple suction control slider is built into the handle. You can open this to bleed off suction which can be handy if the machine’s powerful suction makes it hard to push on some carpets or if you are using a tool and find that the suction is too powerful (for example when you are vacuuming something delicate like drapery or lamp shades, etc.)

There are also headlights are on the cleaner head and can be handy when vacuuming in dimly lit areas.

Check out pricing & reviews on Amazon.

#12) Bissell Cleanview Swivel Rewind Pet

The Bissell Cleanview Swivel Rewind Pet has automatic power cord rewind. This feature is something you do not often see on an upright and owners really like it. It will automatically reel in the power cord when you have finished vacuuming so you don’t have to deal with wrapping it. Note: Sometimes this feature results in shorter power cord lengths and the power cord on this unit is 27 feet long which is not too bad but we generally prefer to see 30 feet or more.

The vacuum includes specialized pet tools. Besides the general tools (Crevice Tool, Combination Dusting Brush and Upholstery Tool) you will also get specialized pet tools including the Pet TurboEraser Tool and the Pet Hair Corner Tool. Also, three tools will store on-board the vacuum so when you need them while vacuuming they are at hand.

There are 5 height settings. A dial on the top of the cleaner head allows you to manually set the distance between the underside of the cleaner head and the floor. This can be handy when dealing with different heights of carpet (low pile, medium pile, deep pile).

This machine is not too heavy. At about 13.7 lbs this is not a particularly heavy upright. The reasonable weight helps with movement and maneuverability.

This is the least expensive vacuum in our list and you should be able to find it for under $150.

Check out pricing and reviews on Amazon..

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